


a mile, a lifetime

by WildKitte



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Motorcycles, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 12:29:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13524288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WildKitte/pseuds/WildKitte
Summary: ”Winry! It came!”Winry looked up from her tinkering and stood up. Opening the window, she peered down to the yard and saw Edward there, unpacking something from a large box.”What came?” she shouted back. Edward whipped his head up towards her and grinned, stepping back to show her. It was a curious machine, almost like a bicycle but... bigger. With more engines in it.”It's a motorbike!"Winry sighed and leaned on the windowsill.”Really,” she quipped.”Yeah, yeah, come down now,” Edward waved his hand without looking at her. ”I wanna go for a ride!”





	a mile, a lifetime

**Author's Note:**

> This is set a couple years after the end of Brotherhood/the manga.  
> I recently rewatched FMAB with a friend and since then I've been plagued with EdWin feels. I wrote this in one sitting, while listening to [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scBcbh8I9e4) non-stop (it's in Finnish but really really pretty).
> 
> Unbeta'd except for some spellchecking. Enjoy!

  


”Winry! It came!”

Winry looked up from her tinkering and stood up. Opening the window, she peered down to the yard and saw Edward there, unpacking something from a large box.

”What came?” she shouted back. Edward whipped his head up towards her and grinned, stepping back to show her. It was a curious machine, almost like a bicycle but... bigger. With more engines in it.

”It's a motorbike! Colonel... Or, well, General Bastard sent it to me for some reason, to try it out I guess,” Edward explained, turning back to the machine in question. ”I have no idea what this costs, but I got to try it in Central once. It goes fast. It's cool as fuck.”

Winry sighed and leaned on the windowsill.

”Really,” she quipped.

”Yeah, yeah, come down now,” Edward waved his hand without looking at her. ”I wanna go for a ride!”

”Do you even know how to drive that thing,” Winry shook her head. ”Dinner is almost ready too!”

”Let's take it with us! I wanna go now.”

Winry took a deep breath and then let it out slowly.

”Let me change clothes.”

Edward gave her a thumbs up.

 

*

 

”Grandma is not pleased,” Winry said, carrying a basket containing their dinner, ”but she wanted us to have this.” Edward grinned.

”Awesome,” he said. He handed a helmet at Winry. ”Here, take this. Put it on.”

Winry gave the basket to Edward, who dutifully held it while Winry put the helmet on.

”Is it tight enough.”

”Ed, I've worn a helmet before.”

”Safety first.”

”Shut up,” Winry puffed, mock-offended, and Ed laughed as he put on his own helmet and climbed on the bike. He tapped the space behind him.

”Come here, and hold on to my waist.”

”Where do I put the basket?” Winry cocked her eyebrow. Edward looked around.

”Take one of those ropes, let's tie it on. There's some space even with you sitting behind me – _ow_ , Winry, what the heck?!”

”Even with me sitting in the back,” Winry rolled her eyes and ran for the rope as Ed held his head.

 

Settling behind Edward, she held on tight, excitement and a healthy amount of fear roiling in her gut. The leather seat burned her thigh a little, as much as the shorts revealed her skin. The sun was still up, but hanging low. Winry wondered if they'd go see sunset. She could always suggest it later.

 

”You ready?” Edward asked, revving the engine on as she nodded. ”Now... How did this work... WOAH, OKAY!”

And with a kick the bike lunged forward, and Winry let out a high scream.

”EDWARD I'M GETTING OFF NOW!”

”TOO LATE!” Edward yelled over the noise of the engine, and so they set to travel.

 

*

 

Resembool was quiet in the summer. Days were humid and hot, the heat thin like spider's web but heavy like a blanket. Sweaty days turned into cool evenings, and even the wind whipping in her hair and face wasn't enough for it to feel actually _cold_. The country road went on and on, and Winry let herself enjoy the scenery. A herd of sheep was pasturing on a nearby field, disturbed by the roar of the motorbike. Winry waved at the old man herding the animals, but the man was too dumbfounded to answer. Winry could feel Edward shaking with laughter and she let out a giggle as well.

 

”Wanna see how fast this goes?” Edward yelled over the noise and Winry made a face.

”If you can handle it without crashing!” she yelled back and then yelped as Edward pushed on gas. She tightened her arms around Edward's middle, even tighter, and she could feel Edward coughing at the strength of her grip squeezing his ribs. Winry held on, pressing her temple against Ed's back and shut her eyes.

She felt how the wind got stronger as Edward sped up and after a while she dared to open her eyes. The hills in the distance flew by and they passed houses and fields and Winry could feel a giddy feeling building up inside her.

”Wohoooo!” Edward let out a whoop of victory. ”Winry, this is _great_!” Winry could hear the laughter in his voice, and it was contagious.

”Oh my god,” Winry laughed. ”It... It is! Ed, this is great! Just don't crash!”

”I won't, I won't,” Ed quipped back. He patted Winry's hand briefly. ”C'mon, you gotta yell too.”

”You always complain about me being loud,” Winry muttered, and breathed in deep.

”What did you say?”

Winry grinned and yelled her lungs out:

”WOOHOOOOO!”

” _Winry, holy shit, loud_!”

”Shut up Edward Elric!”

Her voice was raspy and Edward's laughter was the sweetest sound in her ears.

 

*

 

After a while Edward slowed down again, and Winry held her hair back with her other hand and held on with the other. She looked at the pastures, recognising the houses and people milling around – the trainstation flashed by in a heartbeat, and people stared after them in awe.

 

The sun was starting to set and painted the orange in hues of oranges and pink. The clouds hanging in the horizon were like cotton, or marshmallow, looking soft and edible, shining in pastels as the sun passed by. The wind in Winry's ears muted everything but the sound of the bike, and it was like she and Ed were driving in a dream-like silence. She turned to look at Ed, his usual ponytail braided so that Winry wouldn't drown in his hair, and his broad back. She touched her free hand to Ed's side, and as if Edward knew she was watching, he glanced back and smiled, and it burned in Winry's heart.

She pressed her forehead against Edward's back and let the soft smile come out.

 

*

 

They stopped on a hill after what felt like an eternity. The sun was still stubbornly clinging to the horizon, not quite setting yet. Winry's legs felt wobbly as she stepped on the ground.

”Oh wow,” she laughed and Edward rushed to hold her up, his hands steady on her shoulders.

”Take it easy,” he laughed. Winry swallowed and nodded, and the warm imprint of his hands stayed on her skin even as he let go.

 

They had pulled over at a grassy field – the owner of the land had left the gate open and in Resembool that usually meant permission to enter and roam as they wished.

”I can't remember who owns this land,” Winry mused. ”I'll have to ask Granny. Bake a pie for them, or something.”

”Not apple pie, though,” Edward said, untying the basket from the ropes. Winry rolled her eyes.

”Yes, yes, apple pie is for you and Al,” she sighed and shook her head, amused.

”And Mrs. Hughes and Elysia.”

Winry smiled.

”And them.”

 

”Alright,” Edward said, picking up the basket. ”I hope the food isn't cold yet.”

”Well, if we had eaten at home, we wouldn't have this problem,” Winry reminded him and Edward grumbled something under his breath. ”Care to repeat that, Edward Elric?”

”No,” Edward answered a tad too quickly and rushed to find a good place to eat and watch the sunset. Winry giggled and followed him.

 

The food was still lukewarm, stew with potatoes and carrots. They ate in silence, watching the sun set, comfortable in the quiet lingering between them.

Winry was lost in thought, chewing soft carrots soaked in the stew broth. Edward was home, for now, and had been for two weeks already. Winry didn't know how long he intended to stay this time, and she hadn't asked – she didn't really need to know, because he would always come back. But it would be nice to prepare early, if only for automail maintenance.

 

Ed was working on some kind of secret project. Winry knew it was a house – he was building a new home with his own two hands. Winry suspected that even if he still had his alchemy, he would've done the same. He really reminded Hohenheim sometimes, at least according to Granny's stories, though this observation Winry kept to herself. It was sweet, still.

Winry wasn't sure if the house was for Edward and Alphonse – even if they were far apart, they would have a place to come home to and meet again, go over their newest research and spout alchemy jargon.

Maybe it was for Edward and Winry. The possibility made Winry blush.

 

Even if it was for the two of them, there would be a room for Alphonse, too. Obviously.

 

Winry wondered if Edward was going to reveal the 'secret' before he left again. Maybe he would let Winry see it too, and scold him for bad planning. As brilliant as Edward was, Winry would like to have her input in their possible future home as well.

Then again, maybe it was presumptuous of her to assume that the house was for the two of them. Maybe it was just a replacement for the one the brothers burned to the ground.

But she hoped.

 

”Winry,” Edward said, breaking the silence.

”Mhm,” Winry hummed back.

”How long have I been here now?”

”Two weeks.”

”Huh,” Edward seemed to ponder this. ”Doesn't feel like it at all.”

”Bored already?” Winry asked, grinning, and elbowed him.

”No, ow,” Ed groaned and leaned towards her despite the threat of more violence. He then looked at her and as Winry turned to him, his eyes were trained on hers. Ed stared at her face, like he was trying to memorize it, and his eyes were unbearably soft. Winry could feel her cheeks heating, but couldn't look away.

”What do you mean, then?” she asked quietly. A smile pulled at Edward's lips.

”It feels like there isn't enough time in the world,” he answered, and sweeped a lock of hair behind Winry's ear.

”Ugh,” Winry said and threw her head back.

”Wh-what?” Ed stammered, looking embarrassed.

”You say such stupid things,” Winry said, still staring at the sky and fighting the sting in her eyes. ”I said 70%, right? So, technically, we still have all of the time.” She paused and looked back at Edward's dumbfounded face. ”Most of the time.”

Then she leaned in to kiss Edward's stupid face, and refused to care about the blush burning her face.

 

Ed was still for a moment, and then melted against her lips, cupping her face with his hand.

”Yeah,” he mumbled into the kiss. ”It seems so.”

It was difficult to fight back the giggles, but Edward gave her something else to think about.

 

*

 

They lied on the grass and stared at the sky, hand in hand.

Even now, there was a sea of light illuminating the sky – distant stars that shone brighter here in the countryside than they ever could in central, and a crescent moon illuminating the world in soft baby blues.

”I sometimes miss your automail,” Winry said.

”I still have the leg.”

”Mmh.” She squeezed his fingers and Edward squeezed back.

 

She wondered if there was anyone on this planet who felt as loved and whole as she did now. She turned to look at Ed, who was already looking at her, and smiled.

Probably not.

 

*

 

They drove back significantly slower. The moon was very bright, but not bright enough to be a reliable light source, and country roads were bumpy.

The stars looked like a stream of milky light in the sky, the speed turning the edges into smudgy lines. Winry couldn't really make out the alterations in the scenery, but she felt the ups and downs in her stomach. It was starting to get chilly, and she pressed closer to Edward's back. She wanted to close her eyes, feeling safe and content, but she wanted to imprint all of this in her memory.

The road went on, and Winry felt like she could stay here forever, on the dusty road lit by the moon and starlight.

 

Arriving finally to Winry and Grandma's house, only the porch light had been left on – Granny had probably gone to bed already, and not even Den was out here to bark at them.

Winry gave her helmet back to Ed, who pulled up the backseat, revealing a little box, and put the helmets there, side to side.

”So,” he then grinned, ”what do you think?”

Winry pursed her lips.

”I want to take a look at it,” she said. Edward rolled his eyes.

”Ugh, you're such a freak,” he said and Winry felt an urge to throw a wrench at him.

” _But_ , I kind of want to keep it,” she puffed. ”Did the General tell you to give it back?”

”He didn't forbid me to keep it,” Edward said, which meant _not exactly, but I saved the world so he can't say anything_.

Winry slapped a hand on her forehead and laughed.

”I guess we're keeping it then.” She then tilted her head playfully. ”We'll need a garage for it, though.”

 

Edward flushed completely red.

”Uh,” he squeaked and then cleared his throat. ”I guess that's possible.”

Winry smiled and stepped forward to cup his face. Edward leaned into his touch and it was easy to pull him into another kiss. It was soft, it was tender, and Winry knew Ed would understand.

 

”Great.”

Maybe she would propose next time.

  
  
  


\- end -

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a kudos and a comment if you'd like :3
> 
> twitter [@wildkitte](https://twitter.com/wildkitte)  
> tumblr [@wildkittewrites](http://wildkittewrites.tumblr.com/)


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